Out-Hacking the Hacks

Mike Piazza probably didn’t deserve the suspicion and innuendo that writers latched onto to deny him the Hall of Fame votes he deserved this year, but if they deny him again based on the garbage in his new biography he has only himself to blame. To be fair I haven’t read LONG SHOT and don’t think I will but the reviews I’ve seen make it apparent that Piazza would be better positioned to head to Cooperstown next year had he not picked a fight with legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, said dumb things about Latin ballplayers, and in an effort to out-hack the hacks, cops to a lifelong struggle with “back acne” while coming clean on trying everything but steriods in an effort to improve his game.

Hey look. We all know by now how the game was played during the Mike Piazza Era, and to me at least whether anyone did or didn’t ought not be the only thing that comes between a player and his Hall of Fame chances. But just having a book coming out seemed like the kind of thing writers who’d hold it against Piazza would hang him for no matter what: If he admits to steroid use in his book, he’s out; if he doesn’t, he’s a liar. I’m sure he gets in, wearing a Mets cap, and the Mets retire his number like they oughta, it’s just going to be more difficult now.

All in all, I prefered the mopey Mike Piazza who didn’t say or do much more than drive home runs screaming into the Keypan sign.